The Cost of Salvation
by MeLoveLOTR
Summary: Helm's deep is won, but another battle is brewing. Legolas must sacrifice in order to aid Aragorn and Gimli, but to what lengths can he go?
1. Default Chapter

Chapter One  
  
"The war for middle earth has just begun," Gandalf said ominously.  
Aragorn nodded, breathing a sigh of relief. He looked at his comrades, torn, tattered and fatigued. Though all odds had been against them, they had prevailed. Hope had prevailed.   
~~~A few days later~~~  
Aragorn walked briskly to King Theoden's headquarters. He had been summoned, along with Legolas and Gimli. The three friends met in the large room and took a seat in front of the king. "My lord," he said with a head bob as he sat.  
Theoden cleared his throat. "Our victory at Helm's Deep has cost a number of lives, both men and elf. While this has reaffirmed the old alliances, it has also stirred up bitter feelings. Many men feel that the elves came for other reasons than our aid - that they might have had something to gain-"  
"That is not true!" Legolas cried.  
Theoden held up his hand. "I know that, master elf. It is not I who questions anyones motives. It is the small country of Aroloian that has talked of ambushing the elven warriors on their journey home. They are safe, here, but once they leave, they are under threat."  
Aragorn stroked his beard. "What do you propose we do?"  
"Go to Aroloian. Reassure them of the alliance, the prince is who I trust he has had good judgment. His council however may be what's deferring him, as did my own."   
"I am no diplomat," started Aragorn.  
"Then use your skillful ability to hide. Once your inside you must find a way to draw his interest, then they shouldn't care whether you're a ranger or a homely farmer. Gimli, son of Gloin, you will accompany Aragorn on his journey."  
"And of me?" questioned Legolas.  
"You will stay here. You face harm traveling to that country."  
"Sauron still has a hold of Middle Earth. I face harm anywhere I go in this world," Legolas countered.  
Theodin raised his hands and got up. "I entrust this mission to you, Aragorn. It is your decision." He walked out, leaving the three to discuss the matter.  
"Aragorn, I must go with you," pleaded Legolas.  
"I know, but you do pose threat to all of us, not just yourself," Aragorn sighed. "You must disguise yourself then. You must dress like a human. A female human."  
Legolas' eyes narrowed as he sank into deep thought. "...You're right, Aragorn. I trust your judgment now as I have in the past. Come, Gimli. We must find me suitable attire."  
"Aye, laddie. Eowyn's clothes will do just fine, I'd imagine. For all you're fancy fightin' tricks, ya' still have the slim shoulders of a lass..."  
~~~~~  
"Hmm...." Eowyn scrutinized as she tugged and pulled the dress around Legolas' body, forcing it into place. "As long as you make no sudden movement, I do not foresee any problems."  
"I do. Pointy ears will nullify your entire charade, Legolas. Ya' have to fix that still," Gimli pointed out.  
Eowyn laughed. "That is not a problem!" She quickly undid the warrior braids and let the long blonde locks fall neatly over Legolas' ears. She placed a delicate headband around his head, holding the hair in place. "I think that should do it. Fare thee well, and I trust you will bring back good and peace filled news on your return." 


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter Two  
After profusely thanking Eowyn for her guidance and dresses, Legolas and Gimli made their way back to Aragorn. Neither elf nor dwarf noticed the amount of attention Legolas was receiving. Many of the men watched as the tall blonde beauty walked past with such confidence and ease, the men envying the luck of Gimli to be in such a presence. After a short walk the duo arrived at Aragorn's door, knocking and entering at Aragorn's request.   
"We must be going soon..." Aragorn turned and took in the sight of the beauty standing before him. "I apologize, my lady. I fear I thought you were someone else." He bowed slightly, only to jerk up quite suddenly at the sound of Gimli's boisterous laughing.  
"'Tis' no lady Aragorn. It's the elf." Gimli laughed more violently as Aragorn went pale. Legolas could only smirk at his old friend. Aragorn, unbelieving that Legolas could have transformed from a lithe, muscular, extremely masculine man into this beautiful, curvaceous woman, bursting with femininity, he slowly lifted a part of Legolas' blonde hair, revealing one pointy elf ear.  
"Very well done," the still embarrassed Aragorn admitted.  
"I'm honored by your approval and quite entertained by your response. I suppose we now know that this disguise shall do." Legolas laughed as Aragorn's scowl turned into one complete embarrassment.   
"Come, we must pack quickly and be on our way." Aragorn ushered his companions from his room, so he may finish what little packing he had left to do. Leaning back against the closed door, Aragorn let out a breath he didn't know he was holding. "Compose yourself. HE is but an elf, dressed as a woman. This is Legolas. An elf. A prince. An elf. Not a woman. Just dressed as one. Breathe."   
In his own room Legolas was plagued by the reflection in the mirror before him. Gone were his leggings and boots. Gone was the tunic and belt. Gone were the braids in his hair, and the bow from his back. In there place stood a woman, complete with dress and boots. His hand went to his hair, "Of course she had to include a headband, though it is very beautiful. Aragorn did approve of this disguise, that's all that matters." With a flip of his hair, he turned back to the mirror, giving himself a nod of approval.  
~~~~  
The trio began their journey soon thereafter, eager to be doing something constructive. However, none were prepared for the events that would come to pass. After leaving the safety of Helm's Deep they were again thrust into the wilderness, very much aware of the great task that had been placed upon them. Aragorn stayed lost in his thoughts; how would he convince the people of Aroloian that the elves had come to the rescue of the Rohan people with no ulterior motives? Legolas and Gimli rode beside their captain, ever watchful of their surroundings and constant danger.  
The night of the first day came quickly, and the three companions were eager for a few hours rest. Gimli left Legolas and Aragorn in search of a quiet place in the woods to do whatever it is that dwarves do in the woods. Legolas turned to his old friend, "Aragorn, I see the worry in your eyes."  
  
Aragorn sighed in response, "Nothing escapes your knowledge, Legolas. I am indeed troubled. But it would be best not to discuss this." Like how beautiful you look in that dress. Or how your hair sparkles in the moonlight.   
"I've seen you." Aragorn's gaze finally fell upon Legolas. "I've seen the troubled lines that crease your face. I can almost hear you rehearse what you will say in your head. Be not troubled, Aragorn. This is no Helm's Deep; this battle will easily be won." With that Legolas left Aragorn.  
Aragorn breathed a sigh of relief as he sat down. Just as he began to compose his thought he heard a loud thud, followed by numerous profanities in dwarvish.   
"Gimli? Did you just...fall out of that tree?" asked Aragorn.  
"Aye, laddie. You'd think that Master Elf, who is so in tune with all that goes on 'round him would be able to smell the pheromones leaking out of 'ya..."  
Aragorn stood wide-eyed with shock. "I...do not know what you speak of."  
"Proceed with caution, I warn 'ya. An elf in drag is still an elf. Only in drag. I will leave you to ponder this," said Gimli as he left to go spy on Legolas.  
Legolas was out in an empty clearing. He hummed a sweet song as he spun, twirling his dress about his legs.   
"What a fulfilling action! Even more so than lembas!" cried Legolas in merriment.  
Gimli shook his head and found a clearing to sit in, too troubled by all he had witnessed to sleep. 


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter Three  
Morning dawned much to the dismay of Aragorn. For throughout the night his dreams were plagued by the sweet vision of Legolas. The words of Gimli lay lodged deep within his subconscious, "An elf in drag is still an elf. In drag." Could it be that the dwarf saw what Legolas could not? As he arose he was surprised to find that his breeches were soaked however, he quickly realized that it was morning dew.   
In the break of morning Aragorn stood looking around their camp, only to find Legolas wide awake. Gimli laid wrapped in his bedroll, a mere bump among the fabric.   
"You wake early, Aragorn." Legolas' quiet voice made its way towards the weary ranger. "A fitful sleep and muttered dreams will make for a long day."  
"Legolas. And a good morning to you. I..." Aragorn fought to find his words, as he was stunned by the sight of Legolas yet again. "I have much on my mind."  
"Will you two be quiet?! All this talking and the sun has yet to rise above the mountain." Gimli rose from his bedroll, obviously upset that his companions failed to realize that others, namely he, still slept.   
"I apologize, Gimli," said Legolas with a small curtsey.  
An awkward silence ensued as Gimli went back to sleep.  
"So...you seem to be taking to this disguise quite well," said Aragorn, after a few moments.  
"Yes!" cried Legolas as he modeled his new found skirt-swooshing turn.   
Aragorn paled at the sight. "You do that well."  
"I have been practicing!" replied Legolas, quite proud of himself.  
Gimli finally stood up, well aware there was no more sleep to be found for him. "What's fer breakfast?" he asked grumpily.   
Aragorn reached into his bag and pulled out some leaf-wrapped lembas. "We shall eat this lembas and then be off."  
Legolas strode up to Aragorn, taking a piece of the lembas. "This no longer satisfies me. I have felt the wind against my legs, and I am free now. I need something more than lembas."  
Gimli merely raised his eyebrows towards the elf. "You've done what?"  
"Watch." Legolas bore a great smile that reached into his eyes as he began to spin where he stood. Aragorn merely covered his eyes and counted to three to regain control of himself.  
"Enough of this. Legolas, if you don't wish to partake in the lembas, than you may pack up the camp. Gimli," he offered a piece of the wafer-bread to the dwarf, "eat quickly."  
"Ah, more lembas for me, shall the Elf Princess not want any? Spin wee one." Aragorn merely chuckled as Gimli rolled his eyes towards Legolas.  
Soon breakfast was over and the three set out for another day of traveling.   
~~  
With Aragorn's mind elsewhere, the trio was soon lost.  
"Arg! What is that smell, Aragorn?" questioned Gimli.  
"Why do you say that so accusingly?"   
"Just wondering..." grumbled Gimli, wrinkling up his dwarf nose.  
'I am so lost...what good is a lost ranger?' thought Aragorn miserably. He shook his head. "Legolas! What do your elf eyes see?"  
Legolas squinted. "I see...dead people?"  
"What?"  
Legolas turned around and scowled. "You've led us into the Dead Marshes, Aragorn! Where is your head?"  
"I don't think he's thinking with his hea-" said Gimli, until he was stopped abruptly by Aragorn's foot. "Oof, oy, there's no need to kick."  
Legolas merely looked at his two companions as if they'd lost their minds. "If you two are quite finished, we need to make our way out of here, and back towards Aroloian."  
The group turned around, the man and the dwarf never hearing the uttered words of their elven companion.  
"Never trust a man to stop for directions." 


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter Four  
Later that day...  
The trio find themselves at a passing.  
"Maybe this is it? See anything?" asked Gimli hoping they'd make it there before the changing of the seasons.   
"Legolas, what do your elven eyes..." before Aragorn could continue he was interrupted abruptly by Legolas' whining just after having gotten a stain on his dress.   
"It's ruined, I'll never get that out, and no amount of elvish ritual water will ever make that clean again."  
"Legolas, we have a few impending worries if you don't mind, what do you see?"   
Legolas turned back to Aragorn with a morose stare.   
"There's nothing, the valley just goes on and on, and... oh wait there's a small encampment on the side of that mountain. I can almost see the smoke stacks from here."  
"Let's go."   
~~~  
By sunset they had made there way to bottom of the valley.   
Aragorn knew it was eminent, they would be discovered if they weren't careful enough.   
"Maybe the Aroloian's had been banished from there own kind so long they had forgotten what it was like to be with there own kin." Legolas inquired.  
"That might be, but we didn't travel all this way twice to turn back now." Aragorn was right; Legolas' humiliation alone was reason enough to keep on going. But then again Legolas didn't mind so much.   
Now with their concerns out in the open, Aragorn, Legolas the she-human, and Gimli could assess how they should approach the Aroloian encampment.   
After alot of discussing and persuading they finally decided upon the primitive approach, they would pretend to be a family. Aragorn would be known as Admar of the Rohirim, Legolas would be Cerweyna his wife, and Gimli their short cousin from out of town.   
When they were closer to the camp they made ready their disguises, of course Legolas had no need to. Aragorn's sword and bow were traded for a pair of cropper's slacks and Gimli's armored coif and large axe for a plain cloth cap. Aragorn quickly unclasped Arwen's necklace from his neck and placed it around Legolas', for the crowning touch.  
"Perfect" he noted. "I think it suits you more than it does me, however I will be wanting it back when this is all over." Legolas nodded without delay.  
"Like that's gonna happen," Legolas thought to himself. "He just doesn't have the build for it." 


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter Five   
Ten minutes later.  
"Quick, stay close." Aragorn shouted to the two. As it was nearly nightfall, they now saw a dim light expeditiously coming towards them.   
As they drew nearer, the silhouette could be made out as human. They had figured it to be an Aroloian. The man quickly came upon them. He had the palest skin they had seen in these lands besides the elves. The man's dark hair fluttered around his face as if a moth to a flame.   
"Halt!" he yelled out.   
"We are halted," Gimli mentioned aloud.   
Aragorn turned his head, "Gimli, shh."  
"Address yourselves," the cloaked man said snidely.   
Aragorn spoke for them as he always did.   
"We are travelers from Rohan," he said solemnly.   
"And why are you here?" the man seemed to have the tone of Grima Wormtongue which frightened the three a little.   
"We've come on a diplomatic mission sent by Theoden, King of Rohan."  
"Yes, but who are you?" He spoke as if the he had already known of their quest.   
With every word that passed the night drew closer until it completely consumed the entire valley in darkness.   
"I am Admar, this is my beautiful wife Cerweyna, and my short cousin from Dregmire."   
"You don't have to mention that," Gimli implied about the short remark.   
The man was puzzled. "I've never heard of such a place, maybe your confused?"  
Gimli interrupted, "No actually you wouldn't have heard of it before cause it's... it's new!' he exclaimed with a smile.   
"yah that's it," Legolas sarcastically whispered as he nudged Gimli.   
Suddenly the man was overwhelmed, all rhyme and reason seem to excavate through every pore of his being as he took his first glance upon the fair maiden and marveled at her face. He then suddenly unhinged his jaw in awe as he spoke. "You are very beautiful, I have never seen a creature quite like you before."   
"And you probably never will again," Aragorn insisted.   
The man ignored Aragorn while his gaze still held upon Legolas' pallid face, "however, it is a shame you're taken, there is a lot of men in town who wouldn't give their right arm for a night with you lass."  
"Oh..." he blushed for a moment "how flattering," Legolas was delighted for the complement.   
"Well, that's why I married her" Aragorn replied, as he planted a sweet one on Legolas' soft cheek.   
"Oh come on, getta room!" Gimli had just about all he could take of having to be chaperone for the two.   
The darkened figure replied back. "We have some nice accommodations, for a couple such as yourselves, there's a honeymoon suite with a nice cozy fireplace and a brand new hot springs."   
"Well with that I think were in" Legolas whispered back to Gimli.  
"Yah I think he's takin a liking to ya."   
"Hasn't everybody?" Aragorn said interrupting the two. 


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter Six  
The three quickly arrived upon a gigantic dome, which eminently spiraled down into what appeared to be a large throne area. The designs on the walls were of metalworkings, pyrite, iron and coal. Many steel weapons were strewn about the room and war seemed to be the theme of the hall. They finally made their way to an enormous wooden bench positioned parallel to what looked like the leaders'.   
Gimli broke the silence first. "This room seems friendly," he said with a sarcastic nod.   
"Sit and wait," the shadowed man said just before he disappeared.   
They seated the bench and waited for further instruction.  
"This cap is itching my beard when can I take it off?" Gimli exclaimed.  
"When were done with the mission." Aragorn replied.   
"This dress feels so soft against my skin, whenever I walk it tickles me a little." Legolas said thinking aloud.   
"Oh come on," Gimli said whining to Aragorn, "this dress feels soooo good, my hair looks soooo pretty especially when I put little flowers in it, Aragorn does this shawl make my butt look big? Kill me now." Gimli finished; now ready to hang himself with his small cap.   
"Do you want me to pummel you?" Legolas quickly replied.  
"You wouldn't want to break a nail now would ya?" Gimli sharply snapped back.   
Just then another shadowed figure entered the hall.   
"Lets cut the chit chat, what mission do you speak of?" the hooded man inquired.   
The trio looked at each other in devastation.   
"You think you could try to trick me aye? We Aroloians may be simple but we aren't stupid." The figure was quickly uncloaked by the candlelight in the room. Aragorn decided not to hide it any longer it would only make things more difficult for them.   
"We never thought to test your intelligence just to investigate your perception." Aragorn tried calming down the situation.   
"How could you really think we would believe a disguise as simple as that? They were terrified to answer. Just when they thought it was all over and it couldn't get any worse.   
"I mean to hide a dwarf as a human, you've got to be smarter than that." The party was in awe. Could the man really not tell that Legolas was an elf? How could this be, had he overlooked the situation?  
"You should know that you don't have to hide in front of us brother dwarf, we except you here. Our kind have been united in battle, has this tale not yet been told to you, or maybe you have been with the wrong kind of humans for far too long," he finished.  
"You know why we are here then?" Spoke Aragorn.   
"I have been informed by my council. Ah, but we have not yet been properly introduced, please forgive me. I am Mavis prince of Aroloian."   
Just as Aragorn started the introductions he was interrupted by Mavis' impertinent stare upon Legolas.   
"Ah you must be the lovely Cerwenya." Mavis lurked closer to Legolas implying to kiss his hand. Legolas brought up his hand for the Prince to kiss. "You have such delicate fingers my dear and your skin smells of sweet lilacs.   
"That's probably because he err.... she was rubbing all of those flowers on herself earlier in the meadow. Quite annoying." Gimli informed them.   
"Don't dismiss what you haven't tried for yourself, besides it has a nice fragrance," Legolas explained.   
"It certainly does my dear." The Prince smiled.   
"Shall we get down to business?" Aragorn asked.  
"We shall. What is it you want from us?" Mavis replied.  
Aragorn had readied his speech but at the last moment the thought of what Legolas was doing in the meadow earlier irked his brain.   
"King Theoden wishes and all the peoples of Rohan wish for your support in the war against Sauron's forces."   
"What do we get out of it?" the prince inquired.  
"What? What do you mean what do you get out of it, you get to keep your lands and all the people in your lands safe, if we don't defeat Sauron no one is going to have a home left to come back to, don't you understand? But of course... your people have no want to help the elves."  
"We have only one thing that speaks treachery in this kingdom and that is of elven nature."  
"Why do you hate them so profoundly?"   
"Because, they will have nothing to do with us, Saruman the Wise has told us of this, they are our enemies."  
"Then you have been greatly deceived, for Saruman is Sauron's ally and he has turned his armies against us at the Battle of Helm's Deep."  
"Is this true?"   
"It is, this is written proof from King Theoden from upon his seal you have my word."   
Mavis opens the contained letter and reads it; he lets out a long awaited sigh.   
"For it is true, my father always took Theoden's council, he relied on it well. We shall help you without hesitation. Of course, I still will be needing a little compensation for my trouble, you know, to make it worth my while."   
"Alright, I don't want to play this game anymore, name it, whatever it is the price it can't be too high. Aragorn had hoped.   
Mavis replied with his answer. "Then it is settled, all I ask is for one night with your beautiful wife Cerwenya."   
TO BE CONTINUED... 


End file.
